The Fading Flower
by Twilight of Grace
Summary: [True love is meant to last always, but no one ever said you have to wait forever...] Kairi has been waiting for Sora for two years, but Riku has already come back, and thinks the time may be right to tell Kairi his true feelings. Rated [Twilight To Dawn]


**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters or locations used in this story, but the ideas that brought it forth and the plotline I do own.

**Note:** This is by far my most descriptively dark story as of yet. The images portrayed within will probably be rather upsetting to those with a week stomach. While I'm sure there is other stuff that is worse out there, this is my worst, so anyone expecting my usual writing, be forewarned. While it is different, this is probably my favorite one I have written so far, and I hope you enjoy it in the way it is meant to be enjoyed. I've tried to tap into raw human emotions here, so let me know how I've done.

Just as a prewarning. I tried to make this story feel very realistic and down to earth as I have said, so at times, it may feel a tad bit like, "Come on, can we finish this already…" but I encourage you to please press onward. The trueness of this story cannot be fully realized until you read the entire thing, so I ask you not to give up on it until the end, then you can make your conclusions. Thanks in advance.

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"Sora…"

Kairi mumbled softly into the ear of the man that now rested in her arms. Tears were running down her face as she ran her fingers through his brown locks, holding him tightly to her. She repeated the same words over and over again.

"Sora, my Sora…"

She stared down at his plastered on half smile. The tears came even harder. He was here in her arms. Things had been so hard without him. As she sat with the man of her dreams in her arms, memories of the past week flooded back to her.

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"How's dinner Riku?"

Kairi stared across the table at the silver-haired man as he ate. He looked up at her and smiled weekly, then went back to his food. Riku had been coming over for dinner a lot lately, mostly because he had no food of his own. He had been laid off of his job and had yet to find a new one. Kairi didn't mind his company though, so she was always happy to cook for him. He hadn't talked much as of late though. The last few times he'd been over he had been silent. Kairi was starting to grow tired of his silence. Riku often had great stories that would help take her mind off of Sora. It was almost like a drug that kept her going.

She needed something to stop that want. Before Riku had come back, Kairi had found other ways to cope. She had tried many things, but had settled on cutting. She cut to feel numb for a moment, forcing all of the pain she felt to go away, if but for a moment. Riku filled this same gap. He gave her that same numb feeling, as if nothing mattered but the here and now, and made her feel in control. She had been able to stop since he had come around. The cuts on her arms were finally fading, and she had worn a short sleeve shirt for the first time in months. She still couldn't wear shorts, but she was getting closer. Just the fact that she could wear a short sleeve shirt once more and feel the wind upon her skin once more was enough for her though.

Why was he so silent? She had a sudden urge to excuse myself from the table, go into the bathroom, and find the knife she had stashed under the sink…_No, I won't let it happen again._ She fought the urge down, then set about studying her guest once more. He seemed as though he was in intense thought about something. He even looked slightly troubled by whatever it was.

"Riku, is something wrong?"

This time Riku brought his eyes up to meet Kairi's. He left his gaze transfixed there for what seemed an eternity to her. His eyes felt so cold, but something warm still seemed to be there. Kairi could still feel a small spark, patiently waiting for a soft breath to ignite it into a flame.

"Kairi…I need to tell you something, but I don't know how to say it, or even if I should."

He stared longingly into Kairi's eyes, blue and purple locked together. Kairi was the first one to break this stare. She dropped her eyes to her hands, a usual act she performed when she was feeling uncomfortable. Kairi took a quick glance at Riku again, noticing that he had also adverted his gaze.

"Riku, what did you want to say?"

Riku returned his eyes to the auburn-haired girl, finding her staring back at him. She looked more collected, and had put on her trademark smile. He relaxed slightly at this sight, and finally found the courage to say what had been on his mind for countless years.

"Kairi, I love you. I've wanted to tell you all these years, but I was too afraid. The only reason I even came back to this God forsaken island was for you. I want nothing more than to be by your side always."

Riku grew quiet once more as Kairi's warm smile faded to a shocked stare. She looked directly at him, mouth slightly ajar, refusing to believe what she had just heard. She was still waiting for Sora. Riku was a friend, to that she held no doubt, but she had never even begun to think of him in that way. She knew her heart belonged to one man, so how could she possibly love him back?

"Riku, I…I can't…I'm still…still waiting for Sora…"

The small warmth left behind Riku's eyes now vanished as he stared at her. Instead of the gentle breadth he had been looking for, he had received a storm, quickly snuffing out his remaining hopes. Shifting his gaze, Riku slowly rose from the table, and made his way to the door. He paused before leaving, muttering just loud enough that Kairi could hear him.

"Goodbye then, Kairi."

He opened the door, quickly slamming it hut behind him. The force of it all caused the nearby table to shake, an angel decoration on it moving painfully close to the edge. She rose from her seat, and pushed the angel farther back so that it rested far enough away that it wouldn't fall if the door was slammed again. As she moved it back, tears began to come unbidden to her eyes. She couldn't find the strength to move her hand, and left it there as the tears came even harder. The first fell down her cheek, then the next rolled off her nose, finally culminating in a torrent of tears to come that Kairi had been holding back for so long.

"Sora, where are you?"

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It had been several days since the incident with Riku, and Kairi had yet to hear from him. Usually Riku was very persistent on calling Kairi, wanting to spend as much time with her as possible, and even though she could understand why he would not wish to speak to her right now, she had a very ominous feeling towards the whole thing, as though something was out of place. The fact that no one around the town had seen him either didn't help her suspicions.

Kairi rolled onto her stomach so she could see her bedside clock. It blinked 12:03. Kairi forced her self out of bed, grumbling angrily about how the power must have gone out while she was asleep. She flicked on the lamp near her dresser then found her watch. Resetting her clock to 6:37, Kairi once again moaned about how she would have to skip breakfast this morning. Tossing her watch onto her bed, she walked towards her bathroom and turned her shower on. She walked back out of her room, heading for her closet, then stopped and made for her phone instead. She walked over and sat down on her bedside, dialing Riku's number as she did so.

_ Ring…Ring…Ring…Ring…Ring…_

After five rings Riku's answering machine picked up.

"**_Don't bother leaving a message. No one will get it now anyway."_**

Kairi hung up the phone, deeply disturbed by this change of events. Riku had never done anything like this. Certainly he wasn't the most social person, but he did always make an effort if someone took the effort to talk to him. She hopped off the bed, then began to take off her clothes so she could take her shower.

She hurried through her shower, throwing on the first clothes she could find as soon as she got out. She grabbed a short sleeve shirt and a skirt, fresh blood showing from the shower she had just taken and her razor blade she had used to calm herself some. She grabbed her keys and purse from off her dresser, then headed down stairs, one thing crossing her mind: Riku.

Slamming the door behind her, she vaguely thought about her angel on the table, and how she would most likely have to readjust it once she got home.. Once she was outside she jumped in her car as quickly as possible, suddenly thinking about the wounds on her legs. It had taken her awhile to get her neighbors to stop thinking she was crazy after the events of Kingdom Hearts, but she had done it. Apparently she was the only one who remembered anything, the only person whose heart had been strong enough to survive aside from Riku and Sora. No one remembered anything, and so everyone thought she was crazy when she had talked about it. She started her engine, then slowly backed out of the driveway, praying no one had seen her exposed legs. She took off down the street towards Riku's home, her mind refocusing on him.

"214, 216, 218, ok, that's it."

Kairi didn't really know why, but she had always counted the numbers on the houses on her way to Riku's. Perhaps it was because all the houses looked so similar, but she did not do it on her way to anyone else's home. Then again though, she didn't go to anyone's houses all that often as it was. As Kairi entered the driveway, a sense of foreboding swept over her. She knew now more than ever that something was wrong. It almost seemed as something was trying to keep her from going into that house. She swallowed hard, then checked to see if anyone was around. Seeing no one around, she quickly made for the door. Grabbing the doorknob, a chill ran down her spine. She twisted it, and slowly opened the door.

The first thing that she realized was the grotesque smell. It was as though someone had left an animal carcass out in the sun for weeks. The smell caused Kairi's eyes to tear. She was thankful now she hadn't had breakfast, because otherwise she would have just seen it again. Pulling the top of her t-shirt over her nose, she continued in.

The entire house was dark, but she could faintly hear the sound of running water coming from upstairs. A steady drip of water was also coming from the kitchen area. As Kairi moved forward, she bumped into something hanging from the ceiling. As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she realized it was a noose. Kairi jumped back in shock and felt the light switch ram her in the small of her back. Kairi's fingers fumbled over the switch, finally illuminating the room. She stared in horror at the scene laid out before her.

The furniture had been tossed around the room, some smashed into pieces from contact with the walls. Sparks flew from an outlet that had been ripped from the wall. On a table lay a bloody knife, crusted from age. The most disturbing thing she saw was lying next to the table.

Riku lay in a crumpled heap, covered in his own blood. His face and arms were covered in cuts, and a gun was held in his right hand, his left hand turned into a fist, both black from electrical burns. There was a large bullet hole near the top of his head, again the blood on it dark and crusty. The blood had run down his face, some going into his eyes, still staring blankly out at the world. His mouth hung open, and a pool of blood had settled on his tongue.

Kairi took a slow step toward him, barely noticing the unbearable stench. As she studied his lifeless eyes thousands of thoughts raced through her mind. It was hard to pin any down, but some managed to creep toward the front of her mind. _Did I cause this? Why you Riku? Where's Sora? _

The last one perplexed her. Even at a time like this she could not stop thinking about him. It was this thought process that had gotten Riku killed. Because she held on to an impossible dream, she had killed one of her friends. She might as well have pulled the trigger herself.

Kairi noticed a white object was clenched in Riku's left hand. She reached down to grab it and realized it was a note. She pulled it out, but hesitated before opening it. _What can this letter do but make me feel even worse?_ She tucked it into her pocket, and turned to head for the door. As she drew closer to it, something caused her to stop. Finally the shock was wearing off and the realization that Riku was gone and never coming back hit her. _It's all my fault…_ She fell to her knees and began to let the tears come, not wishing to fight them back right now.

She turned once again to face Riku, the sight of his dead eyes causing her to cry even harder. The words _I killed him_ repeating over and over in her head like a broken record player. She started to crawl over to him, her eyes now focusing on the gun in his hand. _If someone like Riku can kill himself, then by what right am I still alive? _Finally reaching him, she pulled the gun from his hands, and drew herself close to him. The coldness of his body reflecting how she felt inside.

"I'm so sorry, Riku. I'll be coming soon…"

Kairi closed her eyes and raised the weapon up to her temple. She felt her hand tremble as her finger lightly rubbed the trigger. She pressed it harder against her head, reassuring herself that this was what she deserved. She opened her eyes one last time to look on Riku once more, but instead saw a broken mirror not to far away.

"Sora…"

Kairi stood up quickly and spun around to face the one she had been waiting for. He was dressed in a black outfit now, and seemed much older not only in appearance but also just by the way he held himself. He had a gruff beard, and his eyes reflected all the horrors he had seen. There was no warmth in his eyes, he too had lost the small spark that had kept him going.

"Kairi? What did you…Why did you…"

Sora stammered over question after question, his eyes not leaving the blood that now rested on Kairi as well as Riku. He turned away, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. He wiped them away, and kept the rest from coming. He uttered one more word, then began walking toward the door.

"Goodbye…"

Kairi stared as Sora made his way to the door. This wasn't how it was supposed to be! Sora was supposed to come back, and he and Kairi be happy forever. Why had he taken so long? If he'd only shown up a few days sooner, Riku would be alive, and they could have lived happily ever after, just like in the movies. Kairi's perfect dream was falling apart.

"Sora, Stop!"

All of Kairi's suppressed emotions started to rise to the surface, all of them showing as anger and resentment. This was all Sora's fault, not hers. The man she had loved had turned out to be a murderer. She had waited for two long years, just to be left alone again. As Sora turned around to face her, she raised the gun she had taken from Riku up to face him. Sora looked at her, no longer seeing the crying girl that had been there before, but a vicious killer who was focused only on him.

"Why are you leaving? This is all your fault! I waited for you, just like I promised. I put myself through hell for you, night and day praying for you to come back so I would no longer suffer. You promised you'd come back, so I waited. For two years I waited! Even Riku made it back before you. He waited too. He's not lying there because of me, he is lying there because you killed him!"

What do you mean I killed him?! I haven't seen either of you since that day…"

"That's exactly what I mean." Kairi cut into his speech. She steadied her hand and began circling around him, cutting off his escape route. "You left us here…left me here all alone. Do you think you are the only person who cared about me?! You are a blind fool, Sora!" Kairi aimed her weapon straight at Sora's heart, the very thing that bound them together.

"Kairi, stop! Do you really want this to be how our story ends?"

"Yes…" Kairi pulled the trigger, the bullet flying directly into Sora's chest. The feeling of anger left her as she saw Sora begin to fall to the floor. "NO!!!" Kairi ran over and caught him, dropping the weapon as she did so. She fell to her knees, the boy of her dreams in her arms. She turned him over so that she could see his face, finding him with his usual half smile plastered on his face.

"Well, I guess this is how the story ends for me. I'm glad I was able to do this one last thing for you…" He spat up a small amount of blood, then looked up into her eyes, the sparkle she had once seen returned to his own eyes.

Kairi pulled the man closer to herself, running her hands through his brown lochs. Sora's blood ran down her legs, mingling with that of hers and Riku's. The warmth sent an odd comfort rushing through her.

"Sora…My Sora…"

The tears came hard now, harder than anytime before. She placed her hand over his heart, staring down at his beautiful smile, his enchanting eyes. These were what she had longed for. These things that he had always reserved only for her to see. She leaned down and kissed his lips, again finding the warmth strangely satisfying. She wrapped her arms around him, and he used his last strength to do the same. His body then went limp, but Kairi did not let go. A loud crash came from the kitchen, followed by the sound of rushing water. Kairi did not move from her spot in the arms of the man whose spark had been restored, even as another spark took her life as well.

_ fin_

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**Author's note:** Well, did you understand the ending? First off , try to figure it out for yourself. Remember all the details of the room as Kairi walked into Riku's house, all the separate ways he had tried to kill himself. Now think of the ones I pointed out, and said more than one thing about. Still don't know? Well what happened was that Riku had turned on his bathtub upstairs, his initial thinking to drown himself. He decided against this though, but still bent on taking his own life, he did not shut off the water. He also pulled out an electrical outlet, hence the burn marks on his hands. The water upstairs finally after days of weighing down the floor caused it to break, and when the water touched the short circuiting power outlet, it then sent an electrical shock through Kairi that killed her as well.


End file.
